A few days ago, I went to the Miramor Outlets in Estero, FL. I was real excited because there’s a makeup store there called Cosmetic Company. They don’t hold a lot of brands, but they hold some good stuff. =) Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, Clinique, M.A.C, Prescriptives, and some other brands I didn’t care to look through. I don’t ever remember a makeup outlet store in MI. I’ve been to this store in August 09 when I was just vacationing in Naples (before I decided to move here). Then…I got 5 M.A.C brushes (209,  252, 212, 275, 217) with a bag for like 30 something bucks. That’s a steal!

This time…got two more crazy steals. =P I love this makeup outlet store because you can get bags with stuff in them. There’s a lot of stuff you can buy individually, but I’m all about palettes, gift bags, etc.

Two bags with goodies. The bags themselves are like $22-up. I got each of them with the stuff inside for $30 (small) & $35 (bigger one)! ^^ I love makeup, but I love it even more when I get great brands on sale.

The small bag is so cute. Pretty much fits in my hand. The slightly bigger one has a side pocket inside.

These came in the small bag. 209 Eye Liner Brush ($17.50). Fluidline (gel liner) in Rich Ground (15). Pigment powder in Melon ($19.50, reminds me of an orange-ier version of Orgasm from NARS) and Zoom Lash Mascara ($13)

These came with the bigger bag.
Listed from left to right:
209 Eye liner brush, $17.50 (I have three of these now cause whenever I buy brushes, I usually buy a set ’cause it’s cheaper that way)
219 Pen Brush, $23
252 Large Shader brush $29
168 Large Angled Contour brush $32
187 Duo Fibre (stippling) brush $42

I’m so happy with the deal I got. I pretty much paid for the bag and got the stuff inside for free. ^^

I also got my favorite moisturizer, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel because I was running low. The smaller size is like 12 bucks at Sephora. Here it was like $0.25 off. Not much.

Of course, had to play with my new goodies right away.

I don’t really wear liquid foundations because I don’t need that much coverage. I also have very oily skin in my t-zone area, so I like to stick to mineral/powder foundations. The only liquid foundation I have is just a drugstore brand, Neutrogena SkinClearing Liquid Makeup (I need a darker shade, I didn’t blend so well on my forehead lol). I use to just put it on with my fingers, dotting with my fingers and wiping downwards & across. I like it; it’s a very light formula, which is what I like. But now, I like it even more when it’s put on with my stippling brush. Stippling brushes allows you to blend easily using less product with liquid and/or powder foundation.
I just pour some foundation on the back of my hand, dip the brush into it flat on, dot it over my face (, and blend in circular & downward motions.
I want to try other liquid foundations now. I love this brush. ^^

The contour brush was really nice as well. Makes contouring cheekbones super easy.

With the pen brush, I used for under-the-eye-shadowing and for future eyeliner smudging. It’s a nice brush, but I don’t think its a must-have. I have other little shader brushes that can do the same.

The Zoom Lash mascara is good, but like most mascaras, doesn’t hold a curl for me. I wonder if it’s just waterproof mascaras are the only ones that can hold my lashes? I curl my lashes with Shu Uemura lash curler. I think it’s the best! I can curl them with it and it will stay curled without any mascara. But I want to add more thickness and length. I’ve tried soo many kinds of mascaras, semi-expensive and drugstore. Only Maybelline Pulse Perfection & Cover Girl Lash Blast, both in waterproof, will keep my lashes put. Other than that, Zoom lash was nice. Its buildable without clumps for me.
I like using waterproof mascaras anyways because my eyes water all the time.

*sigh…makeup. I can never get tired of it. And I can never have too much of it. =P

I thought drawing feathers on nails would be hard, but it’s actually quite easy. You’re simply drawing a stem with short strokes pointing in the same direction. The strokes towards the tip of the feather is a bit longer than the strokes towards the base. Practice with pencil and paper first. =)
My nails were at their longest when I did this design. Crazy long for me. I could draw the full feathers on shorter nails, but the details won’t really show. So the “partial feathers” are for the short nails. There suppose to be the tips of feathers. From far away, the partial feathered design looks better. I still like the full feathers though.

Inspiration: I love feathers and it didn’t come to mind ’til a friend requested it. =) Hope this is what you meant when you said feathers…lol. People have different meanings for feathers/feathering when it comes to nail designs.

All pictures: click to enlarge

Products»
Essie in Au Natural
Striping paint in light blue, silver, white, and black

Hope you guys liked it! ^^

Sorry I haven’t updated. I know it’s not even been a full week since my last update, but it felt like a long time since I’ve posted.
Been busy this week. My little yorkie got spayed last weekend. I’ve been busy watching over her, making sure she doesn’t do any hyper activities that would cause her little tummy to stretch and to keep her from licking her sutures. She kept licking her belly so she had to wear a cone. =/

She looks so cute, yet I feel bad making her wear it. Especially since she’s so little. Her last weigh in was 3lbs.
Her name is Kiwi, btw. ^^ 18 weeks old.
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So I was browsing around Youtube and found three little girls who made a channel for makeup tutorials. You’ve got to be kidding me? Haha. If they were doing it to be cute, then it’s cute. They weren’t being cute. They were making the videos with seriousness. They’re only 13 year olds.
Click THIS. Maybe you’ll learn something. Really? No…REALLY?
I don’t mean to be rude, but come on…these girls DO NOT NEED MAKEUP! They’re using high-end stuff for a young girl too. Nars, MAC, and Laura Mercier. Wow…and the girl wears more makeup than me! Yeah, I understand girls want to cover up teenage acne, but putting makeup on makes it worse, honey. This girl’s face is healthy looking to me.
I’m not against young teens wearing makeup. I’m just not For young teens wearing so much. I think young girls should only be allowed to wear eye makeup and lipcolor. They don’t need foundations, brow makeup, highlighters, primers, and blushes. Concealer is acceptable if they have major acne, but get the medicated kind.
Good thing about these girls…they’re become great makeup artists one day…?
Really though…less is more. I think teenage girls should only be allowed to wear (at max) one color shadow, eyeliner, mascara, and lipGLOSS. When they are in high school, they can up it a notch by adding another shade of shadow.
The video kind of disturbed me…can’t you tell?
^^

Speaking of makeup videos. I think I’m done with making makeup tutorials. Why? Because everyone is doing it! Hence, the video link above. Besides…what video could I do that isn’t already out there? There so are many tutorials on smokey eyes, cat/winged eyes, holiday makeup, pin-up look, natural look, celebrity inspired makeup, etc.
I did my share. I think I’m done, unless someone requests for something, or if I do come across a look that I absolutely have to do. I’m also too lazy to edit videos. I’m not really motivated to spruce up my videos with effects and ish. I don’t really want to talk in my videos either.
I enjoy watching others more than making them. =)

My favorites I’m always watching [mentioned before, but an update on how I feel about them]:
I LOVE Sam & Nic from their channel Pixiwoo. Successful MUAs that instruct very well. They give great advice from beginners to experienced. I’ve mentioned them before. I think Sam is absolutely gorgeous…well, both of them are. Both from the UK. I love English accents.

The No. 1 makeup guru on Youtube now is Michelle Phan aka Ricebunny. Her videos are great. She’s now the official, first ever, video MUA for Lancome. Her video editing is pretty cool and her looks are fun, classy, and sexy. And her music & voice-overs are inviting. We have art, makeup, food, and video games in common. Oh yeah, she’s Vietnamese too. I like seeing Asians get recognized for their talents/success. It’s cool seeing her go from an average blogger on Xanga to a MUA at Fashion Week. She also has her own skincare and soon to come makeup line: IQQU Beauty

I love Kandee Johnson for her heart. I love her personality. She’s always bubbly and uplifting towards people. I love her dress up looks for Halloween. I thought they were pretty awesome. Edward Scissor Hands, Mad-Hatter, Poison Ivy, Snow White, Queen of Hearts, etc. She’s one of the very few MUA that really shares herself to ya.

Lauren Luke aka Panacea81, is one of the first makeup gurus I started watching on Youtube. She’s the No. 1 Makeup Guru from the UK. She has loads of videos on all kinds of looks. I enjoy her videos because they’re not edited. You get to see more of her. What you see is what you get. (Pixiwoo doesn’t really edit they’re videos either.) She’s genuine, honest, open, quirky, and a bit bubbly. Because of the success of her Youtube channel, she has a makeup line sold online & at Sephora called By Lauren Luke.

A friend told me about Awilda Fashionista aka The Makeup Republic. Her videos are clean. The music, the picture, the skills, and the looks are great. She doesn’t really talk in her videos (I didn’t), but she doesn’t need to. The clarity of her videos says it all. You don’t get to see her personality, but she’s great to watch.

So those are pretty much the channels I watch the most. I find there’s no need for me to make a video if there are already frickin’ great ones out there. I’ll make video playlist of my favorites soon. ^^
I will still share my looks to ya. Just pictures and products used. Did a few yesterday. I’ll post some pictures later.
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Y a w n .

I tried keeping it simple, but I just can’t. I keep picking at it and picking at it.

Almost done. Gotta work alot more shadows & definition into it, work the hair, fix the mouth, and add the ring. =)

Oh my…
Didn’t think I would start another vector since I got a Wacom tab, but I could resist. I did use the pen/tablet with the pen tool. Lol. Don’t think I’ll ever use a mouse for anything anymore.

Anyways, I did my usual stalking on Facebook. When I see a picture I like of a friend, I save it in my “Potentials” folder. Saw this one the other day:

Melissa T.
Hope she doesn’t mind.

This vector is a little different from the previous ones I’ve done.

First, I usually do vexels, hardly anymore vectors because they’re easier. Again, if you don’t know the difference: with vectors, you can create a shape that can be resized whatever size without messing up the picture/keeping the image looking how you’ve created it. Vexels…when resized, the image looks pixelized/blurred/yucky. Get it?
Click here if not: vexel vs. vector image

Second, I usually work with Adobe Photoshop. I’m doing this vector in Adobe Illustrator, which I should have done with my past work. Ai is meant for vector work. So if you ever want to start making vectors, use Ai. Much much better. It’s not easy for me, only because I’m soo used to Ps.
I really just started using Ai a few months now.

Here’s what I have so far. I’m not going to get too detailed with this one, like I did with my Kandee Johnson one. I want to make a simplier one this time. But knowing me, I probably won’t.
I know, I know…I have alot to fix. Just getting the bulk of it done.

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Random No.03

*sigh…I woke up at 2:30pm yesterday. =X Still up. Don’t know if I should just stay up.
Ha ha…right.

I hate Kesha. Not her personally, ’cause I don’t know her. I just don’t like her music and stage image. I checked out her live performances on youtube (I’m always looking up live performances, to see if they really have talent). She doesn’t really sing, its more like talking with rhythm. And when she does sing, there’s so much auto tone/voice tweaking on it. Dancing is horrible on the live stuff. Her image just seems like she’s careless/drunk/trying-to-hard-to-be-careless. She makeup is crazy cool, but her MUA gets the credit for that. I do get her credit for doing what she does, but I know alot of people who feel the same way as I do. ^^

I want to go to culinary school. I am a way better cook than baker. If I do, I’d be the go to person for skin, nails, hair, makeup, graphic work, cupcakes, and a five course meal. Lol. Such talent.
Kidding. “A person good at everything is great at nothing.” I heard that quote from somewhere. Still working on what I’m great at…aka, still figuring out what I’m truly passionate about.

I guess it’s pretty normal to feel lost in the world around my age. Couple people have been feeling the same way as I do. Don’t know what we want to do with our lives. Don’t know what careers we want. Starting to doubt our own beliefs on becoming more…becoming more than just another Vietnamese girl doing nails. Become typical or different?

I want to be different. ^^

I’m addicted to playing Scrabble on my iTouch before I go to bed. I actually play it until I’m on the verge of falling asleep. Lol. I’ve been playing is a lot. Pretty much every night for three weeks. The CPU and I are pretty tie. :P

I mad at xbox live. Can’t play most of my downloaded songs on Rockband 2. So I stopped playing that. Started playing GH World Tour. Never finished it because I was addicted to RB. My GH guitar decided to die on me, but to my surprise, I could use my RB guitar for World Tour. I couldn’t for GH3. I like RB’s guitar way better; it’s quieter…the strum bar doesn’t have that stupid click to it like GH does. So I’m halfway done with it..playing it on Hard.
I’m a dork…

Can’t wait for God of War 3 and Fable 3! ^^

My right eye itches. Can’t stop rubbing my finger across my lid cause it feels so good to. lol.

I want to throw my Yorkie out the window sometimes ’cause she’s just a trouble maker. I haven’t posted any pictures of her on here yet. She’s so fricken cute though. Her name is Kiwi. She’s called Killer Ki too.

I want to do a makeup tutorial and I don’t. I hate editing. And I’m not sure what look to do. Spring?

I miss singing. I usually sang while driving, but I don’t have a car anymore. I miss singing really loud. I don’t her because the apt walls are thin, which makes me shy.

Okay..I’m going to go play Scrabble now.